What is a WhatsApp group icon?
The icon of a WhatsApp group refers to the profile picture that is displayed next to the group’s name in chats and contact lists. This helps identify the group and customize its appearance in the app. By default, every new WhatsApp group is given a generic icon showing a group of people. Group admins can change this icon to use any image from their phone’s gallery.
Why would you want to change your WhatsApp group’s icon?
Here are some common reasons to change your WhatsApp group’s icon:
- To give the group a more unique and recognizable look.
- To match the icon to the group’s purpose or topic (e.g. using a soccer ball icon for a soccer team group).
- To update the icon when the group’s purpose or members change over time.
- To mark special events, holidays, or occasions.
- To refresh the group’s image if you get bored of the current icon.
- To clearly distinguish between multiple groups if you belong to many on WhatsApp.
Having a customized icon that fits your group can go a long way in making your conversations feel more personal. It helps set the group’s tone and gives members a sense of identity.
Step-by-step guide to change a WhatsApp group icon
Follow these steps to change your WhatsApp group’s icon on both Android and iPhone devices:
- Open the WhatsApp group for which you want to change the icon.
- Tap on the group name at the top of the screen to open the Group Info page.
- Tap on the current group icon at the top of the Group Info page. This will open your phone’s gallery and media files.
- Browse and select the new image you want to use as the group icon. Crop it if needed.
- Tap on the check mark or Done button to set the selected image as the new group icon.
That’s it! The new group icon will now be visible to all members in the group info and chat screens.
Tips for choosing a good WhatsApp group icon
- Pick an image that is representative of the group’s purpose, members, interests, etc.
- Make sure the image is clear and recognizable at small icon sizes.
- Use square-shaped images for best fit.
- Keep icons simple and avoid very complex designs.
- If using a photo of members, make sure everyone is okay with it.
- Ensure any text on the icon is legible at small sizes.
- Check that the image does not contain something illegal or inappropriate.
- Consider holiday-themed icons for relevant groups.
Who can change a WhatsApp group’s icon?
Only admins of the WhatsApp group have permission to change the group icon. Regular group members cannot change the icon.
There may be multiple admins in a single group. Any admin can change the group icon at any time.
When a new admin is added to the group, they also gain the ability to modify the group icon.
The group creator is set as the first admin by default. They can also turn other members into admins by assigning admin privileges. Removing admin status removes a member’s ability to change the group icon.
Does changing the icon notify all members?
WhatsApp will not directly notify members when the group icon is changed. However, all members will see the new icon next time they open the group chat.
If you want to inform members about an icon change, the admin can send a message in the group chat about it. Something like “Hey all, I’ve updated our group icon to celebrate reaching 500 members!”.
This gives context for the new icon that members may notice. It also serves as a record of icon change history within the chat itself.
How often can I change my WhatsApp group icon?
You are free to change your WhatsApp group’s icon as often as you want. There is no limit imposed by WhatsApp on how frequently the icon image can be modified.
Some groups change icons very often to match new events, seasons, milestones, etc. Others may use the same icon for years without any changes. It’s completely up to the group admins.
Too frequent changes can be confusing or overwhelming for some members though. Most groups strike a balance and limit icon updates to a reasonable number of times per year.
Can I revert to a previous WhatsApp group icon?
Once a new image is set as the group icon, the old icon is permanently replaced and can no longer be accessed within WhatsApp.
However, if you still have the old icon image saved elsewhere outside of WhatsApp, you can reuse it by selecting it again as the group icon. For example, if it was saved in your phone’s gallery.
Some steps to access an old group icon:
- Check your phone’s image gallery for the old icon.
- Look in cloud storage if you previously backed up group chat media.
- Ask other members if they have the old icon saved.
- Check your computer if you recently synced media from your phone.
If you did not save the previous icon elsewhere before changing it in WhatsApp, there is unfortunately no direct way to revert to it within the app itself. The best option is to recreate it if possible.
Can I use animated GIFs as custom WhatsApp group icons?
Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not currently support setting animated GIF images as the custom icon for groups. Selecting a GIF will force it to be converted to a standard static PNG image when set as the icon.
This limitation also applies to the profile photo used in individual WhatsApp accounts. Only static images are allowed.
Using an animated GIF as the group icon would be difficult to implement from a technical perspective. Group icons are compressed, downsampled, and need to render properly under different chat themes.
Perhaps future versions of WhatsApp may allow basic animation support for profile photos and group icons to make them more fun and expressive. But this is not possible at the moment.
Can I set a group icon without downloading the image to my phone?
WhatsApp requires the group icon image to be physically saved on your phone’s local storage.
When you select a new icon, WhatsApp copies the image file from your phone gallery to use it as the group icon. Linking to or selecting images directly from the internet is not possible currently.
Some workarounds if you find an icon image online:
- Save the image directly to your phone from the web browser.
- Download to your computer first, then transfer to phone storage.
- Copy the image link and use a downloader app to save locally.
Once the image is on your phone’s storage, you can use it as the group icon within WhatsApp. Keep in mind that overly complex or large resolution images may be compressed to optimize icon loading.
How do I set the same WhatsApp group icon on iPhone and Android?
If you want to use the same custom icon across WhatsApp groups on both iPhones and Android phones, here are some options:
- Save the icon image on cloud storage like Google Drive or iCloud, then download to each device.
- Email the image file to yourself and save it locally on each phone.
- Connect both phones to a computer to transfer the file via cable.
- Upload to a messaging platform like Telegram and download on each device.
- Use a cross-platform image sharing service or app.
Once the image is downloaded directly on each phone’s storage, the WhatsApp group icon can be changed independently using the same file. This also allows syncing icon updates across platforms.
Can I change the group icon on WhatsApp Web/Desktop?
The WhatsApp Web browser version and Desktop app are currently unable to change a group’s icon. These platforms can only be used to send/receive messages in the chat interface.
To edit a group icon, you need to use the WhatsApp app installed on your phone. This limitation applies even if you link the Web/Desktop version to your phone account.
Hopefully WhatsApp extends editing capabilities in future updates to their desktop and web apps. But managing group settings like the icon remains restricted to mobile devices for now.
Conclusion
Changing your WhatsApp group icon is an easy way to give your group a visual identity that matches its purpose and members. Any group admin can update the icon by selecting a new image from their phone’s local storage.
While there is no built-in option to revert to old icons, you may be able to recover previous images using backups or other group members. Use group messages to notify members about icon changes if needed.
Set a fun, memorable, and relevant icon that brings your WhatsApp group chats to life!